


Non-Continuity in Holiday Specials

by spookyknight



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 02:36:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6138444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyknight/pseuds/spookyknight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the third time, he catches her eyeing one of the mistletoe bunches that are hanging from each exit and--oh, so that’s what this is about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Non-Continuity in Holiday Specials

**Author's Note:**

> so much thanks to thereisnolaughterinschool/darthtayter for shaping me up, as betas do!

Halfway through the dance, it’s clear something is wrong. The “Non-Denominational Winter Holiday in July Dance” is little more than a thinly veiled ruse by the Dean to bring the Greendale Seven back to campus. It worked.

 

Annie used her persuasive talents to convince them to return to campus in the middle of summer in the spirit of “ _friendship, and besides, who doesn’t love Christmas, right Shirley_?” But as the night wore on, Annie became more withdrawn and the group fractured into different pockets of the cafeteria.

 

Abed is watching her, trying to determine the source of her distress. For the third time, he catches her eyeing one of the mistletoe bunches that are hanging from each exit and _oh_ , so that’s what this is about. Time for damage control.

 

He finds Jeff leaning against the wall, invested in his phone.

 

“Annie’s looking for you,” Abed says.

 

Jeff keeps texting. “Did she say that?”

 

“No. But she has been trying to lure you under the mistletoe all evening.”

 

Now, Jeff looks up. “Dude. It’s not me she’s trying to kiss, or she’d be kissed already.”

 

Abed tilts his head, processing, and— _oh._ That’s less expected but understandable. He scans the room for his next mark.

 

Jeff’s voice trails behind him. “Hey, Abed, go—and you’re already gone.”

 

Troy is standing at a high-top arguing with Leonard about the best brand of frozen pizza (clearly, Troy asserts, it is Ellios). He smiles when Abed approaches. “Hey, what’s up?”

 

“Annie’s looking for you.”

 

Troy frowns. “Really? I just talked to her.”

 

“I’m pretty sure she’s trying to get you under the mistletoe.”

 

Troy chuckles and shakes his head. “I don’t think so.”

 

“It’s definitely the mistletoe that’s bothering her,” Abed says. “Jeff is convinced it’s not him, I’m sure it’s not Pierce, and I haven’t seen her talking to Shirley or Britta all night. She has a crush on you, so it’s likely you’re the one she’s after.”

 

“You’re forgetting someone.”

 

Abed raises his hands, mentally checking off prospective Annie suitors on each finger. “Is Vaughn still written off? Sorry, 'in Delaware?'”

 

“Abed.” Troy waits until he has his friend’s attention. “It’s you.”

 

He gives Troy a skeptical look, then shakes his head. “No. There’s no basis in the plot to support that development.”

 

“She’s been trying to get you to kiss her since Paintball last semester.”

 

Abed flashes back to the past few conversations he’s had with Annie tonight. There is a pattern to what she's been saying. _“Wanna go get some air?” “Do you want to go see if the study room is decorated?” “I hear there might be a snow machine on the roof.” “Is my lip gloss smudged?”  ..._ oh _._

 

“I’d better go talk to her,” Abed says.

 

Troy squeezes his shoulder. “Good luck.”

 

They don’t execute a handshake because that’s for when something is cool and right now Abed is conflicted. This whole evening is off script. They’re on campus outside of the regular school year and Annie is pursuing him instead of her canon love interests.

 

Abed finds her slouched in a chair along the far wall of the cafeteria—the archetypal wallflower.

 

She unfolds herself, brightening when he sits down beside her. “Hi, Abed."

 

"I'm not portraying a character tonight," he says.

 

She narrows her eyes. "I know.”

 

“But you’ve been trying to lure me under the mistletoe.”

 

Annie heaves a sigh. “Maybe that _is_ why. I wanted to see if…if our… _thing_ was just a role-play… _whatever_ , or something else. I mean, I liked kissing Han.” She averts her eyes at this admission, suddenly demure. “I want to kiss Abed."

 

That, at least, is more in character. Annie is a logical person. She wants to explore all possibilities before moving forward. She'll kiss him under the mistletoe, realize she's only attracted to the personas he portrays, and then her romantic subplot will be back on track. A disappointing but necessary step.

 

"There's a rumor going around that there's a snow machine on the roof," Abed says. "You want to go check it out?"

 

"O- _kay_ ," Annie replies, with just a hint of a smile.

 

She follows him to the rear hallway exit. It doesn't lead outside, but it's darker and further removed from the crowd. Attracting the study group's attention would only complicate the situation further.

 

They reach the threshold and Abed looks up, pretending he just noticed. “Hark!” He points to the plastic bundle of leaves hanging above them. "A mistletoe."

 

Annie falters. Her shoulders slump. "You don't have to."

 

"Tradition dictates that who are not biologically related stand below mistletoe, they're supposed to kiss. Well, not closely biologically related. At least not in Colorado."

 

Annie rolls her eyes. “Abed--”

 

He steps forward, breaching her personal space. Annie's eyes go wide and her cheeks get a little color. She likes men who take charge; wants to be the one who is pursued. Not that he's trying to appeal to her preferences. That would be counterproductive.

 

Abed reaches out a hand and cups her jaw, guiding her head up. Annie's eyes flutter closed the moment his fingers touch skin. He hovers over her for a moment, awaiting the expected interruption—Annie changing her mind or someone happening upon them. Her breath tickles his chin.

 

The hum of conversation and Top 40 Christmas standards buzzes around them, undisturbed. He lowers his head and his mouth meets hers. She leans into him, placing a hand over his heart.

 

Annie's lips are sleek from her pink gloss. When she slides her mouth open under his, it's effortless. The kiss deepens imperceptibly; a fade-through scene transition with flawless execution.

 

Abed finds himself committing. He could easily get carried away. Fiction has this power over him--to captivate and inspire escapism. It's not often mirrored in reality.

 

He presses into her; slips his fingers into her hair. Annie pulls back, just a hairsbreadth. Tilts her head, then brings her lips to his again. He mimics her technique. Breaks contact for an instant, building tension. Then, brushes his lips over hers with a little more fervor.

 

Annie pulls away before they make a spectacle, which is fortunate. There's a part of him, deep in his gut, that wouldn't mind more. Abed thinks he sees that want reflected in her eyes, but he's probably just projecting.

 

She bites her lip and peers up at him through her lashes. "Wanna go see if the study room is decorated too?"

 

"Yeah," he says.

 

Abed is a practical person. He wants to explore all possibilities before choosing a course with which to move forward. And this development definitely requires further study.

 

They're halfway there when he remembers Jeff and Britta's past exploits in the study room, but that's alright. The Library's locked anyway.

 

Outside, it's a clear, balmy night and, it turns out, the Dean did hire a snow machine after all. Abed discovers that kissing Annie is a bit like snowflakes melting on your skin in the middle of July.

 


End file.
